The present invention relates to goggles and more particularly to goggles having a flexible nosepiece which connects the two eyepieces.
While there are a variety of goggles having a flexible nosepiece which connects two eyepieces, typically the engagement between the nosepiece ends and the eyepieces are not locked. Accordingly, during use of the goggles, one or both of the eyepieces may accidentally become separated from the nosepiece, thereby permitting the goggles to fall away from the wearer's face and, indeed, become lost. Alternatively, again because the engagement between the eyepieces and the nosepiece are not locked, one or both of the eyepieces may move closer to the other along the nosepiece (especially during storage of the goggles), with the result that the effective length of the nosepiece is shortened and the goggles must be readjusted prior to wearing. Finally, in such goggles, the engagements between the nosepiece and the eyepieces may depend upon an irregular contouring of the nosepiece profile--for example, a profile defining a series of grooves adapted to engaged an eyepiece. Such a contour may not be comfortable on the wearer's nose if on the inner surface and/or may be unattractive in appearance if on the outer surface. Further, such contouring may reduce the flexibility of the nosepiece such that the mating of the rear of the eyepieces and the front of the wearer's face is unreliable and cushioning must be provided on the periphery of the eyepiece backs to insure an intimate contact which excludes deleterious particles and fluids in the environment from reaching the wearer's eyes. The proper positioning and securing of such cushioning on the rear of the eyepieces is, however, an expensive and arduous procedure, increasing the overall cost of the goggle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,290,938 discloses goggles having a flexible nosepiece in the form of a strap member connecting a pair of eyepieces or eye cups. The nasal or inner side of each eyepiece has a first slot, a notch, and a second slot in an overhanging nasal wall, and each end of the flexible strap must be threaded in turn through the first slot, the notch, the second slot and finally the first slot again. A slotted buckle is used to connect the free ends of the flexible strap, and the free ends must therefore be appropriately threaded through the slots of the slotted buckle in order to lock the eyepieces together by the flexible strap.
Clearly, in such goggles the eyepieces and the slotted buckle must be made with considerable precision to provide the necessary slots and notches therein, and the assembly of the eyepieces and nosepiece is an elaborate, lengthy and labor-intensive procedure, all of which must be reflected in the cost of the goggles. The presence of the relatively rigid slotted buckle on the bridgepiece may be uncomfortable to the bridge of the wearer.s nose, and, if the wearer falls or is impacted about the bridge of his nose, the slotted buckle may cause injury. Nonetheless, such goggles having a flexible nosepiece are preferred to goggles having a rigid nosepiece because the flexibility of the nosepiece enables it and the eyepieces to more closely conform to the face of the wearer, thereby avoiding a need for the equally arduous and costly placement of cushioning on the rear of the eyepieces (adapted to contact the face of the wearer) in order to seal the eyepieces to the wearer's face and thus protect the wearer's eyes from the environment. Thus, a need remains for goggles which are easily and inexpensively manufactured and assembled.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide goggles having a pair of eyepieces connected by a flexible nosepiece, said goggles being easy and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.
Another object is to provide such goggles in which the nosepiece does not require a slotted buckle to connect the end pieces thereof.
A further object is to provide such goggles in which the eyepieces do not require cushioning on the rear thereof.